New York Yankees relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle started the season on the injured list and is working his way back from a shoulder issue that lingered throughout the previous campaign. However, his progress has stalled.
The 34-year-old righty with a devastating changeup once again saw his return from injury slowed after he was unable to bounce back the way he wanted following a live batting practice session in Tampa.
Though the snag in his rehab didn’t seem to be a long-term concern, manager Aaron Boone didn’t have an answer as to how long it would set Kahnle back in his program.
“So he’s back in his throwing program,” said Boone ahead of Monday’s win in Arizona via The Post. “I don’t know how long that slows him.”
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Kahnle’s offseason throwing program, the one he uses to ramp up for Spring Training, was delayed due to lingering inflammation. Though he participated in some bullpens, the injury continued to linger, keeping him from making any appearances during Spring Training.
It’s expected that Kahnle will need to enter a rehab assignment in the minor leagues before he’s able to make his way back to the 26-man roster. When that will be remains to be seen, and it’s even more complicated now that he’s dealing with a setback.
The Yankees have gotten by extremely well with their bullpen to begin their 5-0 season. In 19.2 innings pitched, the bullpen has surrendered just 18 hits, one run and six walks while striking out 10 batters.
Kahnle’s presence certainly makes the end of games a bit less worrisome, but this latest injury update makes it clear we may not see him for a while.
